Dragons take to Hawaii waters

Dragon boats are racing in the waters off Honolulu this weekend. Crews of amateur and expert paddlers race the colorful boats in the annual Dragon Boat Festival.

The festival is at the Ala Moana Beach Park, across the street from the Ala Moana Shopping Center. Many local festivals are held here, it seems there is some fun activity every weekend. If you are in Waikiki for a Hawaii vacation, it is worth stopping by to join the fun.

The Dragon Boat Festival is two days. Both Saturday and Sunday begin with boat races. A Family Festival begins at 10 both days, lasting until 10 pm today and wrapping up at 6 pm tomorrow (Sunday). This evening, there is a movie screening of “How to Train Your Dragon” at 7:30 pm.

Mayor Peter Carlisle says the city and county of Honolulu merged the paddling competition with family activities to provide “an opportunity for families to spend time together and enjoy a movie at a fun event without spending a lot of money.” Visitors to Hawaii can take a cue from locals by looking for events like this to spend a fun day without the expense of a theme park.

If you’re her on a Hawaii Vacation, watching the boats race is free, as is live local entertainment and the movie screening. There is also a grass volleyball tournament and something called Futsal, which the city news release describes as a type of soccer. You’ll need money for the food and craft booths that provide true local flavors.